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Man charged with fatal St Albans stabbing wanted for earlier assault

Adam Cooper

A man accused of entering a St Albans home and fatally stabbing a man was wanted at the time for an unrelated stabbing, a court has heard.

Vatthana Chounlamountry made a brief appearance in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Monday, charged with the murder of Thanh Phong Nguyen, who was stabbed in his home on May 6. Mr Nguyen, 22, died in hospital.

Mr Chounlamountry, 30, was arrested on Saturday after he and a woman were forcibly removed by police from the Glengala Hotel in Sunshine following a siege.

He appeared in court with a swollen left eye and a large abrasion on the side of his face. He mouthed words to a woman in court who was holding a baby. Two other women sat in the row behind, one holding a young girl.

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Prosecutor Gemma Walton told the court Mr Chounlamountry entered Mr Nguyen's home in Adams Street through an unlocked door and stabbed him. Mr Nguyen was taken to hospital but died, the prosecutor said.

Ms Walton said Mr Chounlamountry entered the home with the intention of stealing money. It has been reported the two men knew each other. She said that at the time of the attack, Mr Chounlamountry was wanted for an unrelated serious assault in which the alleged victim was stabbed.

The court heard Mr Chounlamountry was withdrawing from heroin and the drug ice and needed his mental and physical health assessed.

Mr Chounlamountry kept his head bowed for part of his hearing and wiped his eyes just before he left.

Magistrate John Doherty remanded him in custody to return to court on September 1.